Can You Find Dahlonega?

Start at the heart of d'town Atlanta and find GA 400/19 (which begins just north in Buckhead). Then go straight up about 50 miles (all 4 lane except the last 5, which includes a beautiful drive along the Chestatee River), and you're there!

Roasting Marshmallows

Since it has been so cold at night, we have been enjoying the fireplace a lot. We even break out the marshmallows on occasion.

Back Yard Foliage

I took these pictures of Schaeffer in the back yard to capture a glimpse of the fall foliage.

Ann Ferris- World Class Babysitter

Ann Ferris is now a full, fledged, in-demand, world-class babysitter. She is caring, enthusiastic and creative. Last Friday, a mother dropped her son off at our house for a few hours to let Ann Ferris babysit on her turf for a change. I captured a picture of her in action. (Sarah Wynn is painting with water colors in the foreground.)

Nini for a Week!

Kristy's mother, "Nini," came to keep the grandkids while Kristy and I attended the church planting Assessment Center last week. Thankfully, we were able to convince her to stay a few extra days. On one excursion, we went up to Dahlonega to enjoy the scenic mountains and to drop by Connie's Ice Cream Parlor on the square. What a great week!

Soccer Team Party

After Schaeffer's soccer team won it's final game of the fall 4-0 (with Schaeffer scoring 2 of the goals), the boys enjoyed a party at the home of one of the players. Here are some highlights.

The Red Rangers

Handing out trophies (this one to Schaeffer)

The gang having hot dogs and hamburgers

Assessment Center

My apologies to all of you devoted followers of the Caston Chronicles. I realize that I have not posted this week and that you are starving. :0) As many of you know, Kristy and I attended the PCA's Church Planter Assessment Center this week, a required hurdle in the PCA church planting world. It was an intense week of personal and ministry evaluations. We are so thankful to report that we "passed" the assessment and have been approved as church planters.

Anyway, I plan to begin regular posts again very soon... some really fun pictures are on the way. Thanks for your patience!

SWC and SMC

Sarah Wynn and Schaeffer enjoyed playing together last week. Of course, they play every day like this. However, I usually don't have my camera to capture the fun. Schaeffer is a world-class big brother!

Friend Visits from Nashville

Emily Patridge, a friend of ours from Greenwood who lives in Nashville, was in town this weekend and spent the night with us on Saturday night. We all had a blast seeing her again!

Daddy the Pharaoh

The other day Sarah Wynn asked me for something. I think it was is she could have ice cream for lunch. Now, sometimes that is a lot of fun, but not the week that the house has been inundated with hundreds of pounds of candy. Anyway, she kept asking, and I kept giving the same reply. That is when she became utterly exasperated and declared that I was Pharaoh. "Why am I Pharaoh, Sweetie?" She replied, "Because you keep saying, no!" :0)

Square Dance

A couple of weeks ago we went to a CHEER homeschool square dance at Perimeter. Here are the highlights.

Reformation Day, Part 2

Here is the part of Reformation Day that we spent with the McDonalds trick or treatin' and roasting marshmallows in the cul-de-sac. 

Reformation Day, Part 1

Tonight for Reformation Day (Halloween), we went to the Dahlonega square and then near our home to the neighborhood of our friends, the McDonalds. Both were lots of fun. Here is the Dahlonega part of our tour de candy.

The Great Pumpkin

Tonight after soccer practice and supper, we settled into the den to watch the classic, It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown, which first aired on October 27, 1966. Sarah Wynn laughed hysterically at Snoopy. :0)

Into the Woods

Yesterday we had a friend over from school (Whitney) and they went exploring in the woods behind our house. I'm not sure what they were playing, but I absolutely love their imagination.

The photo below was taken on school picture day last week. 

God's Big Refrigerator

Today is a guest blogger: Kristy Caston

I preface this post by saying that the Caston family children love to drink milk. Therefore, I am always "out of milk." If I buy one gallon, they drink it in a few days. If I buy two gallons... gone in a few days. If I buy three gallons... you get the picture. 

One morning, as I was getting ready for the day, and also probably out of milk, my four year old, Sarah Wynn, entered my room and announced that she had "somefin'" (something) to tell me.

SARAH WYNN: Mommy, I know how God feeds all the little babies with special milk from mommies.  (At this point I realize that she is the only Caston child who has not witnessed me nursing an infant sibling.)

KRISTY: I know, Sarah Wynn, isn't it amazing how God has made mommies to take care of their little babies?

SARAH WYNN: Yes... and he must have A LOT of milk in his refrigerator to fill up ALL the mommies in the world every morning!

I love four year olds! :0)

Jeep Troubles and Prayer for Nigerian Husband/Father

Today on my way to Presbytery my Jeep died in the turning lane of a major road in Atlanta- Holcomb Bridge Rd. Thankfully, AAA was on the scene quickly and towed me to a shop near our house.  They got to the Jeep this afternoon and will have it ready for pick up first thing in the morning. The story behind the story is that the guy who towed me is from Nigeria. He came to the U.S. to pursue "the American dream," but had to leave his wife and two children behind in Nigeria in order to make money, become a citizen, get them Visas, and then bring them to the States. All is done, except the Nigerian government will not authorize the release his wife and children. He told me that he expected to be happy in America, but the dream has become a nightmare. If you think about it, pray for him, that God would open doors to reunite him to his family. 

Day in the Park

The other day I took Sarah Wynn to our neighborhood park while I got some work done on a picnic table. I did take time to snap a few pics of Sarah Wynn playing with some new friends.

Springer Mountain & Long Creek Falls

Yesterday I took the day off to hike the Appalachian Trail to the summit of Springer Mountain (3,782') and down to Long Creek Falls. The trail begins just northwest of Dahlonega. Temps were in the 60s on the mountain and not a cloud in the sky.  

Tonight Kristy is hosting a Southern Living party while I take the kids to soccer practice. Fun for everyone!

Here are pics of the hike.

This is the "official" plaque that was placed on the summit of Springer Mt. in 1934, designating it as the southern terminus of the Appalachian Trial. 

A hazy view from the summit. When the leaves fall in the winter, there is a 360 degree view of the surrounding mountain range.

Self-portrait on the summit.

At Long Creek Falls

Long Creek

Lunch on the Square

After we enjoyed the Monteluce Winery Fall Festival on Saturday, we stopped by the square in Dahlonega to have lunch at the Front Porch. Here are some scenes.

Eating "dogs" upstairs on the balcony at the Front Porch. A bear got spooked back in '98 (or '96...), ran into town and climbed the tree in the background.

On the square walking to the Front Porch